Electric motor-generators convert between electric and rotary mechanical power. Motors currently consume more than 50% of electrical power produced. There is a great desire to increase the efficiency of electric motors for saving energy and reducing pollution to the environment.
The efficiency of electric motor-generators can potentially be increased by reducing the resistive and magnetic induced losses. Magnetic losses include both hysteresis and eddy current losses and are the result of changing magnetic field through different parts of the motor-generator.
One type of electrical machine that can provide for reduced magnetic induced losses is an air core construction. Air core motor-generators place the windings within a magnetic airgap, and not in slots cut into an iron stator as in conventional electrical machines.
One problem with air core motor-generators is the production of the armatures in mass manufacturing at the lowest possible costs. If they cannot be produced at low costs, they will not be successful. More and more, it is desirable to have manufacturing automated. However, even with traditional motor-generators, there is substantial manual labor in production. To date, air core motor-generators have used significant manual labor and possibly more than traditional electrical machines.
It would be desirable to develop a new process to produce air core motor-generators with the highest possible energy conversion efficiency, that can produce them at a very high rate and be uniquely compatible for automation. Such a new process could make new energy efficient motor-generators widespread and could make a substantial difference in global energy use.